Vietnam - Haiti Observer Blog

Perhaps you've seen them in their striking blue T-shirts, promoting what is fast becoming Haiti's telecommunications rocket into the future. When the Vietnamese Viettel acquired 60% of the former Haitian national telecommunication company TELECO, in April 2010, the focus for many was still on the shattering effects of the earthquake months before. But, as of September 7, 2011, the considerable leaps and bounds to the quality of Haitian technological life, facilitated by NATCOM, have been anywhere but the back of people's minds.

With rigorous promotion of a dynamic product, NATCOM has quickly improved the capacity of the country from 1 to 4 Gbps, bringing the average user from speeds of 2 to 3 Mbps into triple digit speeds. The further launch of their 3G mobile internet service has made reliable access to the internet available to all Haitians, regardless of terrain.

Read more →  

As per the Vietnam government's 2011 records, there is an increase in bilateral trade between Vietnam and Haiti. In 2010 there was a raise of $11 million in the two way trade after which it reached $40 million in 2011. Vietnamese exports are valued at around $15 million.

Haiti's Openness to Trade

Laurent Lamothe, Haiti's Prime Minister stated at the Monday meeting with Nyuyen Tan Dung, Prime Minister of Vietnam that the number stood at $19 million thorough the first six months of 2012. Lamothe continued to make efforts to push the message across that Haiti was open to trade.

Read more →  

Kettie Jean, a Haitian-Vietnamese female actor, is part of a young generation of actors and filmmakers, who are experimenting with digital filmmaking, the technology that gave more creative freedom to filmmakers in the late 90s.

She is the lead actor in a new series airing on YouTube, "The Silent City", shot in isolated areas in New York City. A story of survival after a city has been wiped out by a catastrophic event, leaving only the remaining survivors, it is a film in the tradition of 1980s "Mad Max", a post-apocalyptic film. Kettie plays the role of mystery woman, Otsu, whom the story centers around. She is being trailed by an anonymous character, played by Eric Stafford, who discovers her footprints towards the end of episode one.

Read more →